Archeologists in central Syria have unearthed a 1,200-year-old church believed to be the largest ever discovered in this Mideast country, an antiquities official said Thursday. Walid Al-Assaad, the head of the Palmyra Antiquities and Museums Department said the church, dating back to the 8th century, was discovered recently by a joint Syrian-Polish archeological team. The discovery took place at an excavation site in the ancient town of Palmyra, some 245 km northeast of the capital Damascus, the official said but did not provide a more specific timing. The church is the fourth to be discovered in Palmyra – once a regional trade center and now an archeological treasure trove that even contains oldest layers from the prehistoric era in Syria. However, Al-Assaad said the church was the biggest of its kind to be found so far – it's base measuring an impressive 47 by 27 meters. The church columns were estimated to be six meters tall, with the height of the wooden ceiling more than 15 meters. A small amphitheater was found in the church's courtyard where the experts believe some Christian rituals were practised. “In the northern and southern parts of the church there are two rooms that are believed to have been used for baptisms, religious ceremonies, prayers and other rituals,” added Al-Assaad. Palmyra, said to have been founded by King Solomon, was the center of an Arab servant state to the Roman empire and thrived on the caravan trades.
